By Calum Jaspan
Sydney radio will sound different in 2025 without the ABC’s Richard Glover, who is stepping down from his Drive program, and the ABC, after a 26-year run.
Glover, often regarded as the face of the public broadcaster in Sydney, told his listeners of his departure on Friday afternoon, and said he had “hogged” one of the best jobs in Australian journalism for long enough.
ABC veteran Richard Glover is stepping down from his Drive show after 26 years.Credit: ABC
“It’s been a tough decision, but I’ve decided to leave the ABC Radio Sydney Drive show after 26 years, finishing at the end of November,” Glover said in a statement.
“It has a terrific audience – funny, wise, full of intellect, but also willing to share some of the deeper stories of being human. The program also offers the chance to do anything. Every afternoon we have politics, literature, music and comedy, all jockeying for position.”
Moving with the times, the radio veteran was one of the first broadcasters to move his show to the ABC’s new offices in Parramatta this year. His Thank God It’s Friday show has been broadcast in front of a live audience every week since 2009. It first ran when he was appointed to Drive in 1998.
While there may be more opportunities at the ABC in the future, Glover said his immediate plans were to keep writing his weekly column for The Sydney Morning Herald, to write another book and to “dote over” his three grandchildren.
“I also plan to get my knees done [after years of boring my listeners with my problems].
“I’ll miss the listeners, of course, but also my fabulous colleagues at 702 ABC Radio Sydney – radio’s best team.”
ABC boss David Anderson said Glover was a “once-in-a-generation broadcaster” who had managed to strike a balance between news and politics, “and just having a really good yarn on radio”.
“I would like to thank Richard for giving so much of himself to his program. He has been an intrinsic part of 702 ABC Radio Sydney for more than 25 years and he will be missed by his colleagues and his audience in equal measure,” Anderson said.
Glover’s final show will be accompanied by a special TGIF broadcast on November 29. His former radio colleague Wendy Harmer, as well as comics Tommy Dean and Tahir will be his guests.
While Glover has one of Sydney’s most loyal audiences, ABC Radio Sydney is recovering from a prolonged ratings slump.
In April, the station delivered its worst result (5.1 per cent) since the current ratings system began in 2004. However, this has somewhat stabilised. In the most recent radio ratings survey, the station’s overall share was 6.7 per cent. Breakfast host Craig Reucassel’s show was leading the way on a 9.1 per cent share. Glover’s show fell to a 5 per cent share in the same survey.
The ABC is yet to decide on Glover’s replacement.
The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.